1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a tubing assembly for providing fluid communication through a tubing string into a tubing remnant extending above a packer set within a casing, and more particularly, to such a tubing assembly that includes a funnel guide and a packer connectible to the tubing string.
2. Setting of the Invention
In the production of oil and gas, production tubing is usually set via tubing hangers and packers within a casing to provide a fluid communication from one or more hydrocarbon bearing formations to the surface. Oftentimes, the production tubing needs to be replaced because of temperature, sand, and corrosion damage; however, for various reasons, the production packer cannot be removed. In this case, where the production tubing and packer cannot be removed, workover equipment is brought to the wellsite, and the packer is milled out and the existing tubing is removed. The milling operation is expensive and time consuming, and is to be avoided if possible. If the production tubing is to be removed and the packer cannot be removed, another operation is to cut the production tubing, using an electric line or mechanical devices, above the production packer eliminating the need to remove the packer and any production equipment extending therebelow.
Once the production tubing has been cut to create a tubing remnant that extends a certain distance above the packer, an "overshot", which is usually in the form of a scooped entry guide, is attached to the lower end of a tubing string, and is lowered into contact with the tubing remnant. Conventional overshots contain internal O-rings or other internal sealing devices to establish the needed fluidic seal around the tubing remnant so that produced fluids do not pass to the surface in the casing annulus. Problems arise with using these overshots because the mechanical or electric line cuts of the old tubing string often leave jagged edges such that the internal sealing mechanisms are damaged or destroyed by the lowering of the scooped entry guide onto the tubing remnant. Further, it has been found that the O-rings which are usually made of rubber can be damaged or caused to fail by corrosive fluids, such as H.sub.2 S and CO.sub.2, that are within the produced fluids.
Another problem associated with the use of conventional overshots is that an overshot connects and attaches to the tubing remnant by way of slips, grapples, and the like, which can be a cumbersome and time consuming procedure. Also, the fluidic seal is maintained and the attachment maintained by downward pressure of the tubing string which could buckle the the tubing remnant.
There exists a need for a simple assembly and method of use for connecting a tubing string to a tubing remnant that cannot be damaged by any jagged edges on the tubing remnant or action of the produced fluids, and which does not require connection and attachment to the tubing remnant.